The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1 eBook

in his bosom. And he began to pass much of his
time in solitude in the gardens adjoining the inner
apartment (of his palace). And there he saw a
number of swans furnished with golden wings, wandering
in those woods. And from among them he caught
one with his hands. And thereupon the sky-ranging
one said unto Nala. ’Deserve I not to be
slain by thee. O king. I will do something
that is agreeable to thee. O king of the Nishadhas.
I will speak of thee before Damayanti in such a way
that she will not ever desire to have any other person
(for her lord).’ Thus addressed, the king
liberated that swan. And those swans then rose
on their wings and went to the country of the Vidarbhas.
And on arriving at the city of the Vidarbhas the birds
alighted before Damayanti, who beheld them all.
And Damayanti in the midst of her maids, beholding
those birds of extraordinary appearance was filled
with delight, and strove without loss of time to catch
those coursers of the skies. And the swans at
this, before that bevy of beauties, fled in all directions.
And those maidens there pursued the birds, each (running)
after one. And the swan after which Damayanti
ran, having led her to a secluded spot, addressed
her in human speech, saying, O Damayanti, there is
a king amongst the Nishadhas named Nala. He is
equal unto the Aswins in beauty, not having his peer
among men. Indeed, in comeliness, he is like
Kandarpa himself in his embodied form. O fair-complexioned
one, O thou of slender waist, if thou becomest his
wife, thy existence and this thy beauty may be of
purpose. We have, indeed, beheld celestials and
Gandharvas, and Nagas, and Rakshasas, and men, but
never saw we before any one like Nala. Thou also
art a jewel among thy sex, as Nala is the prime among
men. The union of the best with the best is happy.’
Thus addressed by the swan. Damayanti, O monarch,
replied unto him there, saying, ’Do thou speak
thus unto Nala also, ’Saying So be it, to the
daughter of Vidarbha, the oviparous one, O king, returned
to the country of the Nishadhas, and related everything
unto Nala.”

SECTION LIV

“Vrihadaswa said, ’O Bharata, hearing
those words of the swan, Damayanti thenceforth lost
all peace of mind on account of Nala. And heaving
frequent sighs she was filled with anxiety, and became
melancholy and pale-faced and lean. And with
her heart possessed by the god of love, she soon lost
colour, and with her upturned gaze and modes of abstraction,
looked like one demented. And she lost all inclination
for beds and seats and object of enjoyment. And
she ceased to lie down by day or night, always weeping
with exclamation of Oh! and Alas! And beholding
her uneasy and fallen into that condition, her hand-maids
represented, O king, the matter of her illness unto
the ruler of Vidarbha by indirect hints. And
king Bhima, hearing of this from the handmaids of Damayanti,
regarded the affair of his daughter to be serious.